Good Line (previously Good Luck) is an authentic Chinese restaurant in International City, home of Dubai’s unofficial China Town. Located at the base of Building A-02 in the China Cluster, Good Line specialises in the cuisine of the Northeast of China or Dōngběi as pronounced in Chinese. The restaurant has been completely refitted and now boasts a number of well-appointed private dining rooms – only – there are no other dining options – you either dine in a private room or you…um, don’t.
View from the street 
Private dining room 
Interior
Unique to Good Line’s menu is Chinese Iron Pot Stew – 铁锅炖 (Tie Guo Dun). In fact, I think Good Line is the only restaurant in Dubai which serves this amazing, must-try dish which, yes, is from the Northeast of China. The stew is cooked in an iron wok-style pot which, like a traditional hotpot, is the centrepiece of the table. Meat (traditionally pork but in Dubai beef), potatoes and noodles are braised in stock while flattened bun dough cooks on the sidewalls of the pot. Tofu and other vegetables which require less time to cook are added later. The result is unbelievable.
Of course, Good Line also serves conventional Chinese dishes of which I strongly recommend you try the delicious sweet and sour chicken. It’s the best I’ve ever had.
Half cooked meat and potatoes being emptied into pot 
Tie Guo Dun 
Tie Guo Dun 
Buns being placed on the side of the iron pot 
Iron pot made buns 
Tie Guo Dun 
The best sweet and sour chicken I have had 
Pickled cucumber 
Chinese spinach with LOTS of garlic – excellent
The service at Good Line can best be described as friendly and accommodating. But English is a problem – that’s how authentic this place is. Thankfully their menu is on a tablet and full of pictures so all you have to do is point. Prices are reasonable. It’s not very often that I go back to a restaurant; my blog keeps me moving. So, it says a lot that I have already been back three times in two weeks. Although I am not quite ready to award this restaurant a five out of five, I do think it’s well worth a detour.
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Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from,
each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his
companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts
no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism.
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